I Forbid the Banns! — page 53: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE LIEBIG PRINCIPLE. 43 to me that he fancied the surgeon major believed every word. I have often wondered if Ananias was a hunting man. Hallo! the central group is breaking up.” The engineer had just announced to the captain that the repairs to the faulty steam pipe were finished, and that steam was got up in the boilers. The watchful wife of the major of engineers was giving directions to have their boat brought up to the hand rail, and her husband was almost resigned to the dreary waste of a life of conjugal fidelity. He only glanced furtively every now and again at the attractive Miss Crawford, whose side he had made such persistent efforts to reach. The lieutenant of engineers was beginning to regret that he had wasted his time with Miss Travers. His eyes sought out all the gloomy_nooks about the deck houses and the bulwarks of the steamer, and, so far as he could judge, the other members of the garrison who had paid a visit tothe Carnarvon Castle had not been losing theirtime. The sound of the getting up of steam allowed the sound of the low ripples of laughter that meant so much to the appreciative ears of the scientific officer, to broaden with impunity. He heard the sounds of this hght-hearted and innocent mirth, and he had very bitter thoughts in his soul regarding Miss Travers: There was no innocent mirth about her. She was little better than a prude, he declared in his bitterness, for he was very angry and wished to think the worst of her. Another steamer was not due for ten days. While Mrs. Howard was saying an affectionate farewell to the wife of the major, the major fancied he saw a favor- able opportunity. He pretended that someone was calling him from the dark places under the bridge. He was hur- rying in the most professional way into the darkness when his wife called to him in her strident tones : “ Algernon, comeback atonce. Do youhear me? Come back.” Then turning to her friend, Mrs. Howard, she added in confidential tones: ‘‘ Prevention is better than cure,” Gomichbookssco